D-5

CyclingRight.com

A pain-free ride. Your online guide to cycling ergonomics. The Guide to Cycling Ergonomics The GuidetoCyclingErgonomics bicycle steering systems The specialists in A pain-free ride. Your online guide to cycling ergonomics.

CyclingRight.com Cycling right is all a matter of adjustment.

Muscle work and load distribution: On a bicycle the whole body is in action – and not just when doing sport, but every time you ride. A great many muscles are involved, and each muscle has its counter- part. Because all of the forces need to be balanced out before you can begin to experience true „riding comfort“.

The back muscles The shoulder muscles stabilize and straighten the play an important On the following pages you will spinal column and position supporting role. They fi nd information and useful tips the pelvis. They cushion reduce the load on the that will help you to adjust your impacts transmitted from back and the pressure bike correctly – the easiest way the ground and keep the on the hands, while to do this is of course together torso and head in the also cushioning terrain with your ergotec bicycle dealer. desired position. impacts.

Taking the time to adjust your bike correctly is defi nitely worth- while. Sometimes it can take The hands are especially several steps to get it right. „load-sensitive“ and can Because many positive effects only bear about 20 per- will only become noticeable cent of the load acting during a longer ride or after you on the body. have become used to the new feel of the bike.

With a little patience you‘ll get where you want to be: cycling easily and healthily on a bike that is a joy to ride!

The buttocks bear up to 50 percent of the load.

Dr. Achim Schmidt The feet typically carry Cycling sports expert at the German Sports University Cologne 100 percent of the body‘s weight and can The stomach muscles PS: Ergonomically shaped even withstand up to are the counterpart to handlebar grips and specially 1000 percent during the back muscles. They padded saddles provide added jumps. comfort. But this is only one stabilize the pelvis and side of the story – positioning the back: Back pains are and posture on the bicycle are often the result of weak just as important. stomach muscles!

2 Basic posture: dynamic! Seat of comfort: the pelvis. The golden rule: „Think dynamic“ when cycling! Make sure you The starting point for a consistently comfortable posture is actively use as many muscles as possible. And remember to the right „dynamic“ positioning of the pelvis. According to the alternately relieve the pressure on your hands, buttocks and experts, if the pelvis is wrongly angled, this can cause pain at a feet – your three contact points with the bike. completely different point in the body (e.g. shoulder, back, etc.)

Right Wrong

When the pelvis is correctly angled, the spine takes on When the pelvis is wrongly angled it tilts slightly back- an „S“ shape, thus producing a back with a slight natural ward into an „upright“ position. As a result, the back hollow. becomes rounded and the spine less „resilient“...

Problem: hands Problem: buttocks Problem: knees and feet … hurt because: the arms are straigh- … hurt because: the saddle is posi- … hurt because: „the saddle is too tened, the torso and arms are at an tioned too high above the handlebar low“ the foot is wrongly positioned on unfavorable angle (excessive stress on level, the distance between the the pedal the shoes are unsuitable or the arms), the handlebar and grips are saddle and the crank is not right, too tightly laced the selected gears not optimally shaped. the saddle is at the wrong angle, are too „heavy“ for the terrain. the saddle is unsuitable, the pelvis Remedy: Change your posture by is „upright“ (see above). Remedy: Adjust the saddle height, choosing the right handlebar orientation, adjust the pedals and shoes, position handlebar shape and type of grip … Remedy: Change your posture by the feet correctly. adjusting the right saddle-to-handlebar positioning, fi nding an appropriate sad- dle and adjusting it correctly.

All ergotec tips on line at: humpert.com 3 A pain-free ride. Your online guide to cycling ergonomics.

CyclingRight.com Riding style? Getting your own style right.

Classic (Dutch) bike position City bike position

Very upright posture, almost vertical with back at Slightly inclined torso, approx. 60 to 70° angle to the 90° angle to the ground. The handlebar and grips ground. High handlebar. are very close to the torso. Advantages Advantages The upright posture gives the rider a good view of the Intuitively, the spine is held in its natural S-shape. traffi c. The stress on the arms and hands is very low. Power can be fi rmly applied to the pedal. Disadvantages Disadvantages The arms are often held straight to grip the high The power transfer to the pedals is relatively low. handlebars. – which leads to cramped shoulders and All the weight rests on the buttocks. pain in the hands. After a short while many people tend to take on a The high seat can easily tempt one to slump in the slumped posture. saddle.

By the way: the frame height of a bicycle can often be misleading, as manufacturers have different methods of determining this. When buying a bike, the frame height should be considered as a rough guide as to whether the bike is more or less the right size for you. You will usually need an appropriate seatpost, handlebar and handlebar stem.

4 The fi rst thing to do is to decide which riding style you prefer. Do you usually ride short distances at a moderate speed? Or do you prefer to go out on longer runs and want to cover ground fast? In either case your riding style will differ – and so will the bike you need. We have picked out four bicycle categories and the matching riding styles to give you an idea of the range of possibilities.

Trekking bike position Sporty position

Distinctly inclined torso, approx. 30 to 60° angle to the Sporty, fast-paced cycling. Signifi cantly inclined ground. Large distance between the handlebar and the torso, approx. 15 to 30° angle to the ground. The saddle. saddle is higher than the handlebar. Advantages Advantages The shoulders, back of the neck and hands take a greater Optimal power transmission. share in supporting the load, resulting in a more versatile, Aerodynamic: low air resistance. active riding style. This relieves pressure on the back, spine and buttocks, Disadvantages which is especially important when riding long distances. Demands highly trained muscles in the back, legs, The whole body is involved in transmitting power to the shoulders and stomach! pedals. This position is not suitable for cycling in everyday Disadvantages traffi c - the body is continuously tensed to perfor- The hands, back of the neck and shoulders are more highly mance level. stressed. The muscles need training to withstand this load comfortably.

By the way: in a representative study conducted by the German Sport University Cologne on behalf of Humpert/ergotec, 57% of the interviewed cyclists said that they had not previously done anything to reduce discomfort experienced when cycling. We say that nobody has to put up with discomfort – and if you continue reading, you’ll be on the right track to getting your bike properly equipped and adjusted.

All ergotec tips on line at: humpert.com 5 A pain-free ride. Your online guide to cycling ergonomics.

CyclingRight.com First things fi rst: getting the saddle right.

It’s easier to get Preparation the adjustment right when you Align the saddle so that it is lean against a wall. horizontal! Push the saddle Or better still, ask a on the bracket so that it is helper to hold the bike positioned centrally above the steady as you sit on it. seatpost. To do this, you will usually need an Allen key (5 or 6 mm). A spirit level can be useful to get the alignment right.

Horizontal

Pedaling correctly

1 The right saddle height Climb onto your bike and stretch out one leg. Place your foot with the heel on the pedal at the lowest point of its arc. Your knee should now be straight.

If you are sitting square on the saddle when in this position, the saddle is at the Right right height.

When riding and pedaling, the ball of Of course, nobody rides with straight legs. When you place your foot on the pedal the foot should be on the pedal, to be precise: right over the pedal spindle. in the correct riding position (ball of the foot with base joints of the toes above the pedal spindle), if the saddle height is right, your knee should still be slightly bent when the pedal reaches its lowest point.

A short test ride will soon show whether the saddle is too high. If your pelvis tilts to the right and left when pedaling, the saddle is too high. If it is too low, you will probably only notice this after many miles of riding when your knees start to hurt.

By the way: saddle frames with a graduated scale are useful as they make it easy to adjust the saddle height quickly after transporting it in a car, for example. Wrong

6 No matter what riding style you prefer, the starting point for adjusting your bike for your own personal comfort is getting the saddle into the right position! This is not just a matter of the correct height. The saddle also has to be shifted into the optimal position in relation to the crank. Luckily, fi nding the saddle position that is best for you is easy to do.

2 The right saddle position To fi nd the right saddle position, turn the crank arm so that it is horizontal (3 o‘clock position). Climb onto the bike and place your foot on the pedal in the optimal pedaling position.

Ideally, your kneecap should be exactly above the pedal spindle. If it is slightly behind the spindle, the saddle needs to be shifted to the front.

90°

The saddle can be shifted along the bracket. Once 3 it is in the right position, your legs will have the correct leverage ratio. This avoids sore knees and 3 Saddle inclination pains resulting from wrong pelvis orientations. The optimal saddle inclination depends If you have shifted the saddle more than 10 mm, on the saddle position, the handlebar you will have to readjust the saddle height because position and the shape of the saddle these two adjustments infl uence each other. itself. Thus, the inclination should only be adjusted once you have found the handlebar position that suits you best and are happy cycling with it.

If the saddle frame won’t allow the Adjust the saddle inclination to hori- saddle to be shifted far enough, it is zontal. This is a good starting point, possible to install a seatpost with an angled and in most cases it will not even be head which extends the saddle adjustment necessary to readjust it. range to the rear.

All ergotec tips on line at: humpert.com 7 A pain-free ride. Your online guide to cycling ergonomics.

CyclingRight.com High? Low? Getting the handlebar right.

b

c a

b

a c

Adjusting the stem angle (c) also alters the torso- to-handlebar distance (b) as well as the handlebar height (a) verändert. See also page 13.

1 Creating a pretension 2 Determining the inclination of the torso

A handlebar will only be correctly positioned when it creates The inclination of the torso depends on a person‘s individual riding a certain pretension in the back muscles. The back muscles style. Someone who wants to ride fast will prefer a fl atter inclination, and stomach muscles need to be tensed slightly so that while recreational and city bikers favor a more upright posture. they will be able to stabilize the spine and protect it from Choose a handlebar height that matches the inclination you want. excessive stress. If the muscles are passive, they cannot fulfi ll this important function.

8 The handlebar and its position determine your posture on the bike. Of course, every solution should be a customized one, and the ideal thing would be to keep your choices open through simple readjustment. And you can have just that! Because there are handlebar stems that can be set at any height and angle you like, and there are even freely adjustable handlebars. This allows you to fi nd the position that is most comfortable for you – and you can vary it whenever you need to.

3 Setting the upper 1 2 arm-to-torso angle

1 On a classic bike the angle is a very small one, the upper arms run almost pa- rallel to the torso and the hands sit loosely on the handlebars (no supporting work).

2 On a city bike, a 75-80° angle is a good guide. But many people prefer a smaller angle, down to about 60° (less supporting work for the shoulders/arms/hands).

3 In a typical trekking style, the angle should optimally be about 90° (good load Angle approx. 60° distribution). At 90° the supporting work Angle approx. 20° … typical city bike style of the shoulder, arm and back muscles is … typical classic bike style reduced.

4 Road racers and mountain bikers, on the other hand, often ride at an angle of more than 90° to achieve a very aerodynamic 3 4 position. The shoulders, arms and hands have to do a lot of work here, the supporting muscles of the back are very much involved and the pressure in the seat area shifts forward.

The upper arm-to-torso angle is mainly set by adjusting the length and the angle of the handlebar stem (see illustrations on the left; the angle is also partly determined by the shape of the handlebar).

Angle approx. 90° Angle approx. 90° … typical trekking bike style … typical sporting bike style

4 Check the overall system Setting the handlebar could change the position of the pelvis on the saddle. This can have a major effect on the position of the hip joint and shorten the useful leg length at the saddle by up to 3 cm. So, check the saddle height and position once more and readjust the saddle if necessary. A subsequent readjustment of the saddle may be necessary.

All ergotec tips on line at: humpert.com 9 A pain-free ride. Your online guide to cycling ergonomics.

CyclingRight.com Flat or curved? Choosing the right handlebar.

approx.28° approx.8°-16° approx.5°-12° City bike position Trekking bike position Sporting position

1 Determining the handlebar width The handlebar should be at least as wide as your The broader a handlebar is, the better control it offers but shoulders. The width is measured from center-to- requires more effort in the process. Particularly on well- center of the handgrip position (palm rests). Even loaded touring bikes and on tandems, a broader handlebar if this distance is the same, a curved handlebar is a good idea for safety reasons. On the other hand, a will be slightly narrower than a fl at handlebar. broader handlebar is less aerodynamic, as it puts up greater resistance to the air when riding fast.

Curved handlebar Flat handlebar 2 Selecting the hand position The hand rests best on the handlebar when the lower arm and the hand are in a straight line, i.e. the wrist Straight Angled is not angled. In this position, the ulner and the radial wrist wrist nerves run straight and therefore pain-free. Many sport physicians therefore advocate curved handlebars. The wrist is less stained and the carpal tunnel (the nerve tunnel on the palm side of the hand) is not squeezed.

The narrower the shoulders are, the greater the curvature of the handlebar should be – up to 28 degrees (see illustrations at top).

Flat handlebars are more suitable for sporting bikes, Pressure peaks such as mountain bikes. They provide more direct Radial nerve Ulner nerve steering control but also cause pressure peaks (see illustration of measurement data), thereby placing a Source: German Sports University Cologne greater strain on the arm and shoulder muscles.

10 A handlebar is a key element when it comes to the looks of a bike. So people often choose handlebars for esthetic reasons. But a handlebar should primarily be selected for its function, not for its visual impact. The handlebar must suit you in three ways: it must match your riding style, your physical fi tness and your performance capability. The best choice is a well-adapted „steering system“ with a multifunctional handlebar that you can easily adjust to variable positions.

3 Dynamic riding = changing hand positions You can easily avoid hand strain and fatigue. Ride dynamically and keep changing your hand position as you ride! For your own comfort and particularly for the good of your hands on long rides, you should choose a handlebar that allows different hand positions. There are two general options here.

Option 1: Multi-position handlebars

Multi-position handlebars are ideal for „dynamic“ riding. The curved ends, also known as cow horns, offer a variety of different hand positions. Actively changing hand positions with different tension levels is an ideal way to relax your hands on a long-distance ride.

Option 2: Bar ends On normal handlebars, additional horns - known as bar ends - do the same job.

There are grips with integrated bar ends. And bar ends can also be attached to many handlebars and grips.

Adjustable bar ends are especially useful. They have an ingenious ball-and-socket joint which allows you to customize the position – this is particularly helpful on curved handlebars.

Correctly adjusted bar ends: hand,elbow and shoulder are all aligned when the hand grips the bar end.

All ergotec tips on line at: humpert.com 11 A pain-free ride. Your online guide to cycling ergonomics.

CyclingRight.com 1 Finding the right handlebar

Ergotec handlebar XL with ergotec grips [AKSB-09]. Adjustable stem [Octopus] with Up&Down adapter. The height of the handle- bar can be varied at will.

Being able to adjust the handlebar Getting the adjustment right helps! height offers you the full range of options.

A height-adjustable handlebar? Why not! The idea loading. The work of the muscles must then be more isn‘t new - think of the steering column in modern harmoniously distributed whereby it is important to cars. On a bicycle this is possible too! In fact, it‘s remember that in terms of body height, proportions even more important because a cyclist‘s muscle and performance capability every person is different. power acts as the engine. So your posture needs to be precisely matched. A steering system that offers a wide range of adjustment options is therefore a major advantage The adjustment of the handlebar determines how because it is then relatively easy to customize your far the torso is inclined. The torso inclination, on bike by accommodating personal requirements. The the other hand, decides which muscles are called cyclist who rides pain-free, rides for longer. Because upon and to what extent. Pain in the neck, shoulders you are riding longer distances and more frequently, and back is an indication of one-sided, i.e. uneven, your riding style will change. A variable steering system can be adjusted in an instant!

12 Left. Bike with shaft stem: the shaft and stem are permanently connected as one single component that is clamped into the fork tube. The stem and shaft cannot be replaced individually, only together as a single unit.

Right. The handlebar is raised by extending the stem shaft upwards. This is usually only possible within a small range. The solution: stems with an extra long shaft (quill) which can be extended signifi cantly Classic handlebar stem further.

Left. Bicycle with „ahead“ stem: the stem attaches directly to the fork tube that towers above the frame.

Right. The handlebar height is set once using spacers of varying thicknesses. The protruding length of fork tube is then removed, after which time the handlebar stem can no longer be extended to increase the height.

Ahead stem with spacers

Left. Bike with angle-adjustable stem. This solution is available with different stem lengths for both quill stems and ahead stems (ill.)

Right. When the angle of the stem can be adjusted, this allows the height of the grips as well as the distance of the handlebars to the saddle to be precisely „fi ne-tuned“. Note: this also alters the distance of the torso to the handlebars! Stem – with adjustable angle!

Left. Bike with „ahead“ stem: The ergotec Up&Down adapter is fi tted to the fork, with the ahead stem, as usual, mounted on top.

Right. The handlebar height is infi nitely adjustable by 100 mm – also when using an ahead stem. With the ergotec Up&Down ad- apter this is possible at any time without the need for any tools.

Adapter – height adjustable!

All ergotec tips on line at: humpert.com 13 A pain-free ride. Your online guide to cycling ergonomics.

CyclingRight.com 2 Finding the right handlebar

AHS handlebar Superlight: the angle of the grip can be adjusted to meet individual requirements. Grip MF1: the slight elevation at the end of the grip effectively prevents the hand from slipping off the end. It is ergonomically shaped and individually adjustable.

The handlebar shape and grips Getting the adjustment right helps! bring the hands into the optimal position.

If a garden hose develops a kink, the fl ow of water direction. Here the right handlebar width and angle is interrupted. A similar thing happens when as well as the support of the wrists by the grips nerves and blood vessels are unnaturally and are crucial. permanently compressed. Where cyclists are concerned, the hands in particular are at risk. The pressure load plays a key role too. Just think A sensation of tingling and numbness can then be about your buttocks! We stay seated for much experienced. longer on a well formed seat than on a narrow board because the pressure is evenly distributed. The ideal countermeasure: the right handlebars The same applies to the hands on the handlebar support the wrists and hands in their natural of a bike. This is where enlarged and anatomically posture, preventing them from being bent in any shaped ergotec grips can be a real help!

14 Left. Ergonomically adjustable handle- bar: with the AHS handlebar system the handlebar angle can even be adapted to meet individual require- ments.

Right, ill. 1. Correct adjustment: Lower arm and hand in alignment. The wrist is ideally stabilized. The nerves and vessels run freely 1 2 without being bent or compressed. Right, ill. 2. Possible causes of pain: The „fl at sporty“ handlebar position has been selected. The wrist is under AHS handlebars – freely adjustable! greater strain see also page 10).

1 2

Right Wrong

Ergonomic grip

Top. On larger and anatomically Ill. 1. Ergonomic grip: The palm of the hand lies on the anatomically shaped grip. An enlarged contact area shaped grips the pressure is allows the pressure to be more evenly distributed. There is no compression of the nerves and vessels better distributed. in the carpal tunnel running along the palmar side of the wrist. Ill. 2. Attention: Bring the grip into the correct position and fi x in place. This will ensure that the nerves and vessels in the wrist don‘t get bent.

Ergonomically correct handlebar width. Handlebar width equals shoulder width (distance between shoulder joints, on the handlebar distance between the middle of the hands). The broader the handlebar, the greater the angle of the grip. The special ergotec handlebar series has been developed to accommodate these greatly varying physical requirements. Ask your specialist bicycle dealer.

XXL 650 mm/16°

L 610 mm/12°

S 570 mm/8°

Available in the sizes XS-S-M-L-XL-XXL

All ergotec tips on line at: humpert.com 15 A pain-free ride. Your online guide to cycling ergonomics.

CyclingRight.com 3 Finding the right handlebar

Ergotec handlebar XXL combined with ergotec grip [AKS07] and bar end EVO-Touring. Rotatable around 360°, it can be fi xed in any position. The angle can be adjusted via the ball-and-socket joint.

Multi-position handlebar: Getting the adjustment right helps! It‘s best to ride dynamically.

Whenever joints and muscles are forced to adopt Particularly hands, arms, shoulders and the neck a rigid, tense posture, they are subjected to one- benefi t from deliberate changes in posture. The sided stress. This leads to fatigue and ultimately best handlebars are those that encourage you pain. to frequently vary the position of the hand on the grips. If you want to cycle right, make sure you move the entire body and never stick to one basic posture. The classic multi-position handlebars have proven For instance, it can be helpful to ride a short their worth in this respect. But also normal distance out of the saddle. This takes the pressure handlebars – when combined with ergotec grips off the buttocks and the entire body then „swings“ and bar ends – are well suited to encouraging in a completely different rhythm. cyclists to ride dynamically and in a more body-conscious manner.

16 3

2

1

Top. The multi-position handlebar. The ideal solution when it comes 1 When the hand grasps the lower part of the grip, the torso is more inclined and the fi ngers are close to to varying the position of the hands the brake lever. andthe inclination of the torso while 2 When the hand grasps the middle part of the grip, the arm and wrist adopt a naturally upright and relaxed position. cycling. See also the large illustration 3 When the hand grasps the upper part of the grip, the torso is upright and the basic posture is relaxed. on page 18.

Left. Ergotec grip combined with bar end (cow horn), both elements covered in real leather.

2 Right. The position of the grip can be altered. This relieves the pressure on the wrist and hand 1 and prevents numbness in the fi ngers. The angle of the bar end can be individually adjusted via the patented ball-and-socket joint.

Ergotec grip, straight bar end, adjustable!

Left. Ergotec grip combined with large bar end „EVO Touring“. 3 Illustration shows the foam-covered model, a leather version is also available.

2

Right. With a choice of three

positions, this combination is just 1 as effective as a multi-position handlebar. The angle of the bar end can be individually adjusted via the patented ball-and-socket joint.

Ergotec grip, bent bar end, adjustable!

All ergotec tips on line at: humpert.com 17 A pain-free ride. Your online guide to cycling ergonomics.

CyclingRight.com

AHS-Superlight, freely adjustable grip angle. As a grip the MF2 model is mounted with palm rest and bar end. AHS. The steering system that makes any adjustment possible. No other handlebar offers such versatility of adjustment as the AHS steering system from ergotec. You can vary the grip position and in two to three versions individually adjust the grip angle in addition. You can choose whatever grip you want: you decide whether you want to ride with ergonomic grips (also with bar end) or with multi-position grips. Compatible with all the usual shifting levers.

AHS-Superlight The grip angles can be individually adjusted. It is possible to fi t virtually any grip and bar end. Compatible with all shift and brake systems.

AHS-Superlight combined Transport? with real leather grip and No problem! rotary shifter – almost In the transport anything is possible! position the handlebar with angle-adjustable grip can be completely folded in. Ideal for transporting on the car roof rack or for space-saving storage in the garage.

18 AHS-Premium, freely adjustable grip angle. Shown here with special ahead stem for different handle- bar heights (clamping height 60-125 mm).

Choice of three different AHS-Premium grips The grip angles can be individually adjusted. Multi- position grips with individually adjustable angle. The grip versions for the AHS- Premium and AHS-Basic. One of three grip designs can be chosen to meet individual requirements.

AHS-Basic Lightweight multi-position handlebar. Two designs to choose from: Comfort or sport. Grips with individually adjustable angle. Comfort

Classic

Simple, extremely safe mounting of the grips. Major advantage of these „attachable“ Sport multi-position grips: It‘s no problem to also attach rotary shifters!

All ergotec tips on line at: humpert.com 19 A pain-free ride. Your online guide to cycling ergonomics.

CyclingRight.com

1 Handlebar grip. Ergonomically functional in design with an anti-slip rubberized texture. Easy to grasp, pleasant to touch and skin- friendly. Extremely weatherproof. 3 Fixing ring. The ergonomically shaped elevation at the end of the grip prevents the hand from slipping off the end. The position can be freely adjusted.

5 Core made of cold-forged aluminium, lightweight yet offering maximum stability. 4 Palm rest ... (see right) MF1 MF Series. New ergonomic grips.

The aim is to distribute the pressure on the hand vessels will not be compromised even when riding and fi ngers over a large surface area. Here it is longer distances. What is unique about the MF crucial that the support for the palm of the hand series is the two-fold fl exibility: fi rstly, the palm can be individually adjusted! If the wrist can be rest, grip and bar end can be freely adjusted in „stabilized“ in this way, then the nerves and blood relation to each other.

Compatible with any gears. The MF series is available with long or short grip. The short grip is always used whenever a bike has gears with rotary shifters.

Only a single clamp bolt needs to be tightened to 10 Nm! Even when greater force is exerted, the palm rest and bar end stay safely and securely seated. Tool: Allen key 4 mm.

20

1 3 Handlebar grip … (see left) Fixing ring. One single setscrew for bar end and palm rest.

2 Bar end. Three-fi nger length. Head perfectly shaped as a slip-resistant thumb rest.

5 4 Core made of cold-forged aluminium. Palm rest. Ergonomically shaped to perfectly fi t the palm Lightweight yet offering maximum of the hand and offering a signifi cantly perceptible support stability. function. Better distribution of pressure with long-term effect. MF2

Secondly, the grips can be used as classic not only the hands benefi t from a minimal change monogrips or thanks to the perfectly integrated of posture, but also the muscles in the arms, bar ends as multi-position grips. In terms of the shoulders, neck and back because they are then ergonomics the bar ends are extremely effective: stressed and moved differently.

1 1 2 3 3 4

Long grip (for shifting levers) … short (for rotary shifters) Bar end incl. fi xing ring (MF2) … or fi xing ring (MF1) Palm rest

Open for riding style and individual customization. Simply retrofi t bar ends – or just as simple „build back“. Straightforward replacement in the case of damage or wear: only the damaged module needs replacing!

All ergotec tips on line at: humpert.com 21 A pain-free ride. Your online guide to cycling ergonomics.

CyclingRight.com

Tips to make things easier.

Manufacturer‘s specifi cations The manufacturer‘s specifi cations, such as the frame height, only give a fi rst rough guide to fi nding the right bike for your personal needs. Measuring methods and size specs are not standardized and can vary quite considerably. The important thing is not the specifi ed frame size, but that the bike should fi t you! Every bike should therefore be „tried out“ for size.

At Humpert we have been Listen to what your body tells you inventing, improving and manufacturing bike parts If you start developing aches and pains when cycling, then you should do something for over 90 years - and about that at once. If a new adjustment doesn‘t bring an improvement after a few are now into our fourth kilometers, then it should be changed. If the handlebar, saddle or grips still don‘t generation as a family-run feel comfortable after trying out several different adjustments, they should be company. Hardly anyone in replaced. Ask your bicycle dealer to advise you! Europe can offer such a large range of „cycling right“ parts as we do – manufac- Don‘t alter too many things at once tured in excellent and ecologi- Wherever possible, adjust just one parameter at a time. This will help you to cally responsible quality. recognize cause and effect more easily and fi nd the best setting without taking too many „detours“. Cycling is right on trend. Because it helps people to Pedal right keep fi t, have fun and stay healthy. Because it is the Dynamic cycling means pedaling dynamically. Make sure you pedal smoothly and most economical and ecologi- rhythmically, avoiding heavy gears and making active use of the gear-shifting cal individual transport mode options offered by your bike. for short distances – espe- cially in such a densely popu- Take breaks lated country like Germany. We will continue to make our When you are out on longer runs, make sure you give different areas of your body contribution to the future of a chance to relax. Get off your bike and walk a few meters every now and then. the bicycle – as the special- Change your hand position on the handlebar or simply shake your hands out one at a time. ists in bike steering systems. Tools If you need tools to adjust bike parts, use high-quality ones. That way you won‘t damage your bike or get annoyed, and you‘ll be able to work faster and with Wilhelm Humpert greater success. Check that all threaded connections are properly seated. Handlebar movement

Every time you adjust the handlebars, grips or stem, check whether the shift and brake cables are long enough to be able to steer freely. If the cables are too short this can make it diffi cult to steer safely and could even lead to an accident.

Almost anything is possible If the frame size of the bike roughly fi ts you, ergotec bike parts can help you to make virtually all useful adjustments. In addition to the actual system parts, there are a number of adapters to match the specifi cations of different bike frames. Your The ergotec test center: every ergotec dealer has the complete ergotec catalog showing the whole spectrum of model has to pass rigorous tests. possibilities.

22 Your ergotec Handlebar Check bicycle dealer We check to see whether: your steering system is technically OK. Technical testing will be happy to Comments help you. More safety Replacement Let us perform recommended

ok defective the ergotec Hand-

Handlebar lebar Check for

Stem you – of course

Storage control with good advice and practical help Grips

included! Bar Ends We assess whether your steering system can be improved upon.

Comments That's possible. Cannot be fitted More ergonomics Can be fitted Replacement recommended

Better handlebar shape

Better stem

Better grips not possible with longer Bar ends cables possible

Handlebar height adjustable We ascertain whether the saddle and handlebars are optimally ad

Check setting. Name: More cycling fun Corrected Bicycle:

OK Your ergotec bicycle dealer Saddle height

Position of handlebar

Position Griffe

Position Bar Ends

Date, signature Kommentar:

All Aergotec pain-free ride. tips on line at: humpert.com 23 Your online guide to cycling ergonomics. D-5 www.humpert.com [email protected] 83-99 77/91 (0) 23 +49 Fax -0 77/9183 (0) 23 +49 Tel. 58739 Wickede/Ruhr Erlenstraße 25 Kommanditgesellschaft Co. & GmbH Humpert Wilhelm © 2012 Your ergotecbicycle

.

Germany Dr. UniversityCologne attheGermanSports expert AchimSchmidtCyclingsports Riding abikeshouldn‘tbepainful! Taking isdefi thetimetoadjustyourbikecorrectly

We perform the handlebar check All tipsonline! www.cycling-right.com

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